The elders lived in reality: Acts 20:19 Serving the LORD with humility and tears and trials... Afflictions and imprisonment await me...
The elders longed for ministry: Acts 20:24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
The elders depended on God's Grace: Acts 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up...
American Christianity arranges life to be as comfortable as you can---and your family's comfort. It's poison to our soul. God doesn't always arrange things for our comfort. Why do we? God has left us in uncomfortable situations. in that sense, you are blessed if it drives you to Him. It purifies your dross. You don't become bitter because you repent of your managing of your life and your comfort. Bruce Edstrom
Back from a quick weekend in Fort Worth. Oh, God so showed up! The night before I left I could barely sleep---so overtaken with fear for my life. I was alone. Sinking not sleeping in the back of the boat! It's okay. Repenting of a management theology and tradiing it for a reformed theology! Still reeling about Eutycus and how God allowed that to happen. Strange, but E's story became the Living Word made flesh again. More than that, He did something in the hearts of those present to sustain them and carry them forward. He is so stirring my heart in such beautiful ways. Taking care of my circumstances in loss and trials but more than that He is making shifts in my thinking and shifts in my heart to make me move in love like I haven't before. Trials so drive us to Him. Press harder this day not in behavior but in resolve to be holy.
ReplyDeleteMary Lou, praying for you this morning sweet girl as you undergo your tests on your heart. May the Great Physician, Who is right beside you, give you peace that passes any understanding. God is in this! He is sustaining you. He will carry you through this. You are such a joy to Him! Love your beautiful heart! Praying for you this day!
ReplyDeletePS - Should have said procedures on your heart not tests. Oh! Praying for you dear friend! Let us know!
ReplyDeleteBritt was diagnosed with a neoplasm on his lower lip and will have it biopsied on Tuesday, hopefully if we can pull together the resources to do it as it will not be insured. We bought this insurance for him for the summer but it doesn't cover dermatology or so they say. But this is an illness biopsing for malignancy from his immunosuppressed system having mono so long. Deeply appreciate your prayers for this situation and God's Glory! He got great news about being chosen to go to Peru or Nicaragua to do missions with Pine Cove leadership! Thanks for praying!
ReplyDeleteBless you Bev for your prayers. Praying for Britt this day and for God to straighten out the crooked path in front of you for finances and health care for your boy and for yourselves. You so honor Him in your struggles and trials. You are showing us how He truly wants us to live.....we are not to have all of our prayers answered in the positive and our lives be all comfort. We have been taught a false theology. The procedure on my heart is not supposed to last much longer than thirty seconds. He told me that was the window of time that he needed. I will be heavily sedated and monitored but the actual procedure is a very short one. Peace is what I truly need,especially tonight. It is at eight in the morning (CST) will it is daylight savings but you know what I mean. He just gave me Deut. 31:6 and oh, how that blessed my heart. I will indeed let you know how I am. I should be able to get to the computer sometime tomorrow...will probably be sleepy for most of the day, for it takes so little to put me out.
ReplyDeleteThinking about the false theology that the American church has taught us that we are to have comfortable lives, while the trials and struggles we have are meant to purify us and clean out the dross in our hearts. IF our lives were meant to be comfortable and pain free, why do two young godly women I know of are going through such tremendous pain because of cancer? they are both honoring and glorifying God through their trials, however their trials continue. May we want more of Him and may we seek to glorify Him through our lives whatever happens in them as opposed to believing that everything is supposed to be easy and comfortable. While I covet your prayers for peace and for the procedure to get my heart back in sinus rhythm, I have told Him I will accept what ever happens. I do pray that it will be corrected, for I so need the energy that has been zapped from my body. IF He so chooses that I am in the percentage that it does not work for, then I will do my best to give Him the honor and glory. It will be my family, especially my husband who will have a hard time with it not being corrected.
I'm thinking of someone fairly close to me, who has ALL that life can give. He will not bow the knee to Jesus and he is in an extremely hard place. He still doesn't see his need for Jesus, how that breaks my heart. I pray daily that the Lord will draw him and use this trial that is so hard and his salvation will be the silver lining in this hard place for his family. That is their prayer. May that be each one of our prayers. That our struggles, big and little will drive us to our knees so that others may see Him. Bless each one of you for praying for others.
It's such a sham we are taught. The genie-in-a-bottle god who gives in to our every whim and desire. Oh, the arrogance in that line of thinking, the egocentric theology of believing our luxurious comfort is what it is about. We blink, that second passes, and we perish.
ReplyDeleteDo I long for ministry? For souls' deliverance? for Grace? The answer for me is only Sometimes. He teaches us through the rough waters. Do I embrace them? What does authentic healing look like anyway? Authentic wholeness? So many checkpoints in today's reading for our souls to realign, re-focus on what serving the Lord really looks like.
Each of you teach me almost daily that true discipleship is costly. Real followers suffer for His Name's Sake. And the dross is flaked off to leave shiny, sparkly hearts, renewed (Mary Lou--believing tomorrow will restore your beautiful heart to wholeness, as I ask Him for healing.)
I will pray for Britt for healing as well, for full recovery from the mono, and for financial provision for your family, Bev. He will supply all your needs. He knows your fire for Him and shows you how to respond in such love. It honors Him so.
"Go placidly amid the noise..." as we continue to praise Him in storm and sun.
Much love to you Pearls this blessed Sunday.
So thankful for you, Bev! Real faith takes so much courage.
ReplyDeleteWhere else would we go besides Jesus?
I love the visual of Paul's prayer. Saint Paul. What a service his faithfulness is to me this day.
Mary Lou, may God bless your procedure and touch the life of the one who is so close to you with His ability to reach that frozen, cold wall built around his soul. I pray that God would speak life into him.
Britt. My goodness. I just have to say the true southern thang here...bless his heart. And I mean that. He has been through a lot and I know God loves him. May all of this work out with no drama and lots of thanksgiving.
We surely must be the best at rejoicing in hard times! What a gift that is, to KNOW God's love in the middle of earthquakes and fiery trials. I so want to have the dross burned off and know that what is left is the purity of Christ's presence in the refiner's pot. He remains.